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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "million us dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "mariam abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "sani abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • t_ahmed_aba@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Tott Owon" <tottowon2006@msn.com>
Reply-To: t_ahmed_aba@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 01 Feb 2006 07:48:58 +0000
Subject: From Dr. Mrs. Mariam Abacha

From Dr. Mrs. Mariam Abacha
C/o Barrister Tony Ahmed
Reply to my private email:(t_ahmed_aba@yahoo.co.uk )

Dear Friend,

I greeting you in the name of most high God ( ALLAH). I am Mrs. Mariam
Abacha, the widow of the late Gen. Sani Abacha former Nigerian Military
Head
of State who died mysteriously as a result of Cardiac Arrest.Since my
husband’s death, my family has been under restriction
of movement and that notwithstanding, we are being molested and
constantly
under watch by the seemingly agents, above all, our Bank accounts here
and
abroad
have been frozen by the Nigeria Civilian Govt.

Furthermore, my eldest son in detention by the Nigerian Government for
more
interrogation about my husband’s assets and some vital documents.

Following the recent discovery of my husband’s bank account by the
Nigerian
Government with my son’s bank in which a huge sum of US $600 million
and
Dutch, Mark 450 million was lodge and 1.6Billion Pounds Sterling
belonging
to my late husband was seized by the Government of Nigeria.

I therefore wish to personally appeal to you seriously and religiously
for
your urgent assistance to transfer the sum of $19.8million US Dollars
into
your account in your country where I believe it will be safe, since we
can
not leave the country due to the restriction of movement imposed on the
members of my family by the Nigerian Government.

You can contact through my lawyers Email address . My lawyer shall
arrange
with you for a face-to-face meeting outside Nigeria in order to liaise
with
him towards effective completion of this transaction.

However, arrangement have been put in place to movethis money out of
the
country in the secret vault through a security company to any of the
West
African States or Europe and America as soon as you indicate your
interest
my lawyer shall send to you the Security
Deposit Certificate and Airway Bill of the luggage and other related
documents so that you can claim the luggage which shall be tagged
"Family
Treasures".

Conclusively, we have agreed to offer you 30% of the total sum while
70% is
to be held on trust by you until we can decide on a suitable business
investment in your country subsequent to our free movement by the
Nigerian
Government.

Please reply urgently and treat with absolute confidentiality and
sincerity.

Yours sincerely

Dr. Mrs. Mariam Abacha

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam